Top 5 moments in India's illustrious Test cricket history
With India set to participate in their 500th Test, the journey from being an aspiring bunch of players into a formidable unit is one that must be relived time and again. Since debuting against England at the de facto home of cricket in 1932, they had to endure massive highs as well as unforeseen lows on their road to accomplishing several laudable feats.
During these 84 years, 32 cricketers have been given the honor of leading the country to 129 wins and 157 defeats. Traversing across different generations, the Indian team has stitched together numerous unforgettable memories.
In this segment, we will look back at some of those fulfilling chapters in India’s eventful Test history. Although there has been plenty of revered moments, the below five stand out for its significance.
#5 Where it all started, 1952 (Madras)
It had been 24 Tests and almost 20 years, but a Test victory still remained elusive. For a nation which was beginning to come out of the shadows entrenched from British rule, success against England would go a long way in establishing their credentials.
A five-match series against a rebuilding English side presented an opportunity for the hosts which contained quite a few battle-hardened names. Despite coming so close to breaking their streak in Delhi, they could not seal the deal. Arriving into the final match on a typical square turner in Madras, Vijay Hazare’s team were staring at a 0-1 deficit.
However, left-arm spinner Vinoo Mankad came up with a sterling effort and wove webs around the visiting batsmen. Aided by tons from Pankaj Roy as well as Polly Umrigar, India recorded their inaugural triumph which incidentally came by an innings margin and set the template for future generations to follow – score big & outclass opposition batsmen through spin.